Bon soir! So 17 days after the Olympics ended, it’s time to do it all again, as the Paralympics begin in Paris. Hourra! I think it’s safe to say that Part Un exceeded expectations – as early French indifference to the Olympics, bad weather and transport problems gave way to a joyous celebration of nationalism and sport – and there’s already a sense that Part Deux could do the same.

Yes, there is some local scepticism about the timing of the Paralympic Games, which coincide with the end of Holidays in France, and it is predicted that Paris will welcome around half the number of visitors who came to the Olympics. But after months of concerns about low ticket sales and questions about whether the French would embrace disabled sports, there has been a major revival in interest, with more than 2 million of the 2.5 million tickets sold and many events selling out.

In a bid to spread a message of inclusivity and accessibility, tickets are not required to watch tonight’s athletes’ parade, which will not be held at the Stade de France but will instead bring spectators, participants and TV viewers to the sights of Paris – much like the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. Some 4,400 athletes from 182 delegations will parade from the Arc de Triomphe down the Champs-Élysées before arriving at the Place de la Concorde, which provided such a memorable backdrop for the Olympic skateboarding, BMX and breakaway competitions. The Place de la Concorde will then play host to the artistic performances and the lighting of the Paralympic torch.

Organizers are keeping the names of tonight’s performers a secret, but after the Olympic Opening Ceremony, which featured performances by Lady Gaga and Celine Dion, along with a guillotined Marie Antoinette, the Minions fighting over the Mona Lisa and the controversial but unintentional parody of the Last Supper, it’s probably wise to expect the unexpected. As Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet has said, “the ceremony in the heart of the city is a powerful symbol that illustrates our ambition to capitalize on the fact that our country is hosting its first-ever Paralympic Games to put the issue of disability inclusion at the heart of our society.”

The ceremony starts at: 8pm Paris time (7pm UK time).

But it’s not all about parades and spectacle, you know: Tomorrow morning the competition starts in the sports of track cycling, swimming, taekwondo and table tennis, with 549 gold medals to be won in the next 11 days.